


Chasin’ You Like A Shot Of Whiskey

by TwistedIllusions



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: 2021 ENKLAVE FEST, AKA sorry to the siblings I ignore the most in this, Ben Hargreeves is a good boy, Beta read (thank little girl god!), Cowboy Dave Katz, David "Dave" Katz Lives, Drug Withdrawal, Dude ranch, Enklave Fest: Cowboy AU, Horses, Hurt Klaus Hargreeves, I still love you!, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, I’m bad at balancing everyone apparently, Klaus Hargreeves Deserves Better, Klaus Hargreeves Needs A Hug, Klaus Hargreeves Needs Help, Klaus Hargreeves Whump, Klave, M/M, Modern David "Dave" Katz, No one is related in this, Only relationship is Klave, PROMPT: COWBOY AU, Protective Allison Hargreeves, Protective Ben Hargreeves, Protective Diego Hargreeves, Protective Luther Hargreeves, Protective Number Five | The Boy, Protective Vanya Hargreeves, Sick Klaus Hargreeves, Sober Klaus Hargreeves, Softie David "Dave" Katz, You can tell who I have the least problems writing since I focus on them the most
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-18 09:40:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29366406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwistedIllusions/pseuds/TwistedIllusions
Summary: Klaus watched as the horse turned away, taking the beautiful cowboy along with him. Unable to contain his downright tumultuous nature, he muttered under his breath, “Didn’t know I’d been shipped off to brokeback mountain, but I can’t complain—”“Whoah,” Dave said, sitting deep in his saddle to halt his horse before turning around to once again face Klaus. “Sorry, what was that?” he asked, cupping his hand to his ear, eyebrows rising attentively.Panicked, Klaus stumbled over himself trying to find the right words, his palm running down his chest before grabbing a hold of his satchel. “Oh, um...nothing, I uh—I just said I...broke my backpack getting off the plane.” He said, lips curling in towards his teeth, eyebrow cocked in embarrassment. He only hoped Dave would believe this new steaming pile of horse shit.
Relationships: Klaus Hargreeves/David "Dave" Katz
Comments: 92
Kudos: 57
Collections: EnKlave Fest 2021





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my contribution to the 2021 Enklave fest! As an equestrian, I knew that I just had to pick the prompt “Cowboy AU” so if you submitted this prompt I hope this doesn’t disappoint! If you did submit it I’d love to know in the comments!!
> 
> If you have been following me for some time sorry I’ve been MIA lately! My other stories were just a little dark so I needed something a little lighter! There will still be plenty of angsty-whumpy goodness in this I assure you, but it’s definitely much softer in comparison! I promise I will finish my other WIPS, just please be patient with me! Thank you for being understanding!
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this, and if you do it would bring my heart so much joy if you would let me know in the comments!! Thank you all so much!! xoxo

The bus rocked as Klaus descended the final step, his solid black converse digging immediately into a fresh, steaming pile of horse manure when his feet first met the ground. He groaned, unable to hide his agitation before peering down at the waste beneath his foot.

“Oh, come on, you have got to be kidding me!” Klaus huffed exasperatedly, kicking the sole of his shoe against the gravel road in hopes of dislodging the remnants. He stopped abruptly in his tracks, narrowing his eyes as he turned when the sound of his fellow pariah’s snickering filled his ears. Irritated by the sudden unwanted attention, he slipped his Raybans over his eyes, distancing himself from his peers and decided to take this opportunity to observe where he’d just arrived; the place that would be Klaus's new home for the next ninety days. 

Of course, it was a literal shit show - if that wasn’t the perfect metaphor to epitomize his entire life.

Klaus shivered, running his palms over his bare arms when a breeze tickled his skin. He wasn’t accustomed to being in places quite like this: open plains with rolling hills, fresh air and a copious amount of trees. He grew up in a concrete jungle, surrounded by the ever present traces of smog and traffic. So what was a city boy such as himself doing in a po-dunk place such as this? Well...

Klaus Hargreeves was the sole heir to the Hargreeves Tech Company; founded and operated by his father Sir Reginald Hargreeves. Because of his accomplishments, his father, of course, had become a famously well known Billionaire. If you were to ask anyone on the planet if they recognized his name, they always did for his contributions to the world of technology. Something of which Klaus himself couldn’t even begin to understand or explain. All he knew was that his inventions had left his father very well off since before Klaus had even been born. 

Surely, with no other siblings to quarrel with for his fathers attention, they must get along fabulously, right? Well, unfortunately, not. In fact, Klaus and his father were the furthest thing to ‘close’ you could imagine. His memories of his father had never been pleasant ones; even spanning as early as his first memories of his life, Klaus remembered the distaste the man had for him from the start. Klaus oftentimes wondered if his fathers feelings towards him had something to do with the momentous events leading up to his birth. 

Sadly, Klaus’s entry into this world was not an easy one. His mother was desperate for a child, and she struggled to conceive for many years. She was immediately in love with the baby growing within the swell of her belly as soon as she knew of his existence. She did everything her doctors told her to do; taking things easy, resting when necessary and eating all the right foods in hopes of having as easy and healthy a pregnancy as possible. But the odds simply were not stacked in her favor. 

She had an abundance of complications throughout the duration of her pregnancy; the biggest one no doubt being during the delivery. Klaus was never told exactly what went wrong, all he knew from what his nanny’s told him over the years was that somehow his mother had lost too much blood far too quickly after going into premature labor. In the end his mother was forced to make a decision: Save her own life, or save the life of her unborn baby boy’s.

She chose to save her son.

His mother never lived to meet her pride and joy, and his father never forgave him for it. 

Not that Klaus could say he blamed him. 

Growing up, the only way Klaus knew his mother was from the home videos he’d watched of her over the years. He learned that his mother was beautiful; she had long, flowing blonde hair, big beautiful blue eyes and a smile brighter than the sun. She was funny, unbelievably smart and talented. She loved to dance, and sing. His mother’s voice was beautiful; her soft melodies often helped ease him to sleep when his nightmares threatened to keep him awake when he was small. It wasn’t any specific song that he recognized, probably her own creation, but it was a tune he’d always remember, and carry with him close to his heart. His mother’s name was Grace, a fitting name for someone who lived her life so elegantly and refined. He still kept the cross stitch she’d made of his name that hung above his crib when he was a baby. It was the only piece of his mother he ever had. The only parent who ever loved him, and he’d never even truly gotten to know. 

After witnessing the person his mother had been, needless to say, Klaus could see why his father preferred his mother be alive instead of him. 

And Klaus? _Well_ , he had always been a whirlwind of sorts. Growing up his nannies used to call him their little tasmanian devil. Nothing could ever hold him down, or reel his turbulent nature in. Chaos really should have been his middle name. Considering Klaus and his fathers estranged nature, Klaus never had a parental figure to guide him. Due to that, he was forced to turn to whatever he could in order to fill that void within his heart. Unfortunately for him that facet quickly became drugs and alcohol. And boy, did he turn hard. His disorderly nature only got more out of control the deeper into drugs he fell. 

In fact, it was his unbridled mischief that got Klaus into the mess he was currently in. 

Due to his questionable life choices, and the friends that type of lifestyle garnered, trouble was a staple within his life from an early start. Klaus’s circle of friends were easily recognized as the unsavory sort, but honestly? He didn’t care. They offered him the one thing no one else in his life had ever been able to. Someone to turn to, and something to take his pain away. Although he recognized quickly that his misery never truly would be gone. It was merely shielded - muted, if you will. But Klaus was fine with that. Walking through life in a haze donning his rose colored glasses was better than walking through it miserable. In his eyes, anyways.

Sadly, as the years rolled on Klaus’s lifestyle continued to drag him down a seemingly endless path of poor choices, and deep regrets. He knew he’d really fallen off the deep end, potentially towards the land of no return when even his friends didn’t want to associate with him anymore.

_‘You’re going to get yourself killed, Hargreeves!’_

_‘Slow down, will ya? Save some for the rest of us!’_

_‘Klaus, stop, that’s way too much!’_

_‘What are ya, trying to die? You shouldn’t mix those!’_

_Klaus only wished his friends foreboding warnings had been correct._

He could remember the exact moment that led him here to this boondock-esque place. It was a Friday night not long ago. He was walking towards his home, drinking something strong out of a brown paper bag after scoring a special treat off his favorite dealer. He was high as a kite, and hoping to ride that high for the rest of the night, or maybe even the week if he played his cards right. To be honest, Klaus already hadn’t been having the best day after he’d learned his supposed ‘friends’ were having a get together and hadn’t bothered to invite him. So maybe he had gone a little too heavy with his assortment in a meager attempt to drown his sorrows. It wasn’t until he stumbled into his garage when an admittedly asinine idea popped into his head.

Cock sure of his decision that he wouldn’t allow himself to ever be forgotten - he _was_ Klaus Hargreeves, afterall - he stole his fathers keys from his desk, and took his car for a little joy ride.

Perhaps literally crashing the party by driving his father’s $500,000 Rolls Royce Phantom directly into the pool wasn’t one of his wisest decisions.

_Klaus was still laughing when the police arrived…_

He had a sobering realization when he was read his rights and placed into the back of that police cruiser. Klaus knew his time was up and that surely we would be going to jail. 

But his father had other plans...

Reginald was furious and did believe that Klaus deserved to pay for his wrong doings. However, he refused to allow his good name to be tarnished due to his son's reckless behavior and countless mistakes. So, Reginald worked out a plea bargain with the judge. To him it would be a win-win. Reggie’s good name could stay intact, and Klaus would learn from his mistakes and pay the price by doing hard manual labor - something he’d never in his entire life been expected to do. 

The judge accepted his terms and instead of doing jail time, Klaus was to be sent to a reformatory - The Umbrella Tree Academy: Dude Ranch for Misguided Youths/Teens.

“This is just fucking great!” Klaus grumbled, continuing in vain to try to scuff the shit from the bottom of his shoes. He hadn’t even realized when the sound of shod hooves crunching against gravel began to approach him. That is, until someone's obnoxious tisking grasped his attention. 

“Yeah, best to watch your step, there’s landmines like that everywhere ‘round here.”

Klaus whirled around ready to scold whoever it was who thought they could address him like some child. Didn’t they know who he was? He was Klaus Hargreeves, and he certainly was not in the mood for this...this...well, this horse shit. 

“Yeah, well, who asked you? Can’t you see I’m—”

Klaus’s jaw dropped.

There, riding a dappled golden steed before him, was the most breathtaking man Klaus had easily ever seen. Shocked into silence ( _for once_ ), Klaus took a moment to properly examine him. He could feel his cheeks flush at the sight of the man’s crooked grin. His own lips twitching up watching as his cropped curls that matched his horse's mane danced in the breeze beneath the rim of his stetson hat. Wow, Klaus couldn’t help but notice how the bright blue of his flannel shirt brought out the azure of his curiously kind eyes. 

Klaus fumbled to pull his sunglasses from his eyes to better his view of the man. He quickly realized that his hands were trembling, but he was inclined to blame that on the lingering effects from his rather recent bout of withdrawals.

“Oh, yeah, uh...well, I—” Klaus stumbled over his words, utterly incapable of forming a coherent sentence. He didn’t understand why he felt this way. His tongue felt swollen, his throat a little tight, and he noticed he felt a little woozy. He knew coming down from drugs would be tough, but suddenly he wondered if it wasn't the drugs making him feel this way at all - but this man.

Nah, it had to be the withdrawals...

The cowboys grin grew wider as he watched Klaus’s babbling continue. “Yeah, well, judging by the bus you just rode in on,” he noted, tipping his head in the direction of the oversized vehicle. “My guess is you must be new?” he asked, eyebrow quirking in curiosity.

Fighting the sudden urge to pull himself together, Klaus willed his mouth to snap shut and nodded in confirmation. “Uh...yup.” he said, popping the ‘P’. “Sure am.”

The cowboy chuckled, the corner of his lip tugging into a lopsided grin before leaning forward in his saddle; leather groaning at the shift in position as he extended his hand to Klaus. “I’m Dave.”

Klaus hesitated briefly, breaking his trance by tearing his gaze away from those beautiful blue eyes. Klaus shook his head, his curls fanning his face before taking a moment to ground himself. He knew that he needed to focus, he couldn’t allow his resolve to falter under the watch of some random man - no matter how unbelievably attractive that man may be. Forcing himself to look anywhere but Dave, he trailed his sights to his extended hand, accepting it into his own. Nearly surprised by Dave’s strong grip, Klaus swallowed thickly before introducing himself. “Klaus.”

Dave shook Klaus’s hand, and Klaus noted how his soft grin never wavered before he finally pulled away. He pushed himself up, sitting deeper into his seat; folding his hands over the other across the horn. “Well Klaus, s’nice to meet you. Allow me to welcome you to The Umbrella Tree Academy.”

“T-Thanks.” Klaus stuttered, rubbing anxiously at the back of his neck. Klaus couldn’t help but notice the way the sun shone against Dave’s sweat glistening skin. It was really something special. Christ, he was perfect; like the man was chiseled from granite like one of those famous sculptures. How could this man even exist?

“Well,” Dave said, breaking Klaus from his thoughts once again. Man, he really needed to stop doing that. “I’d better get goin.” He said, gripping his reins in his hand as he nudged his horse's side with his spur. 

Klaus watched as the horse turned away, taking the beautiful cowboy along with him. Unable to contain his downright tumultuous nature, he muttered under his breath, “Didn’t know I’d been shipped off to brokeback mountain, but I can’t complain—”

“Whoah,” Dave said, sitting deep in his saddle to halt his horse before turning around to once again face Klaus. “Sorry, what was that?” he asked, cupping his hand to his ear, eyebrows rising attentively.

Panicked, Klaus stumbled over himself trying to find the right words, his palm running down his chest before grabbing a hold of his satchel. “Oh, um...nothing, I uh—I just said I...broke my backpack getting off the plane.” He said, lips curling in towards his teeth, eyebrow cocked in embarrassment. He only hoped Dave would believe this new steaming pile of horse shit.

Luckily for him, it seemed Dave had. He smiled that cute crooked grin of his with a nod when the distant sound of a whistle pulled his attention away from Klaus. Good thing too, it gave him a chance to blow out the breath he hadn’t even realized he’d been holding. 

“Ah, I’ve been summoned,” Dave said, looking back at Klaus with that ever present smile. “But, I’ll be seeing you around?”

“Oh, yeah, yeah, absolutely.” Klaus said, rocking back on his heels. “Nowhere else I’d rather be, amirite?”

 _‘Smoothe, Hargreeves.’_ Klaus mentally cursed at himself. ‘More like ‘Nowhere else I could _legally_ be.’

Dave simply exhaled a quick chuckle, tipping his hat. He gave his horse a little leg, pressing the reins against its neck before disappearing against the rays of the sun.

Klaus stood there stunned to silence as he watched him go. “Yeah, I’ll see you around.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again!! I figured I’d go ahead and share another chapter with you guys. Thank you all for all of the wonderful feedback you’ve offered thus far on this story! 
> 
> This might be the last update for a while, but I’m nearing the halfway point to its completion so _hopefully_ it shouldn’t be too much longer!! 
> 
> If you like this story and would like to be notified whenever the next chapter is posted, be sure to subscribe!!! I promise I’ve been diligently working on it every single day and I’m excited to share it with you!! 
> 
> Thank you all for being patient with me! This story has been like a breath of fresh air in comparison to my usually much darker content. But I promise (for my whumpy/angst lovers) there’s still plenty of that in store! I feel I’ve managed to keep this story overall pretty well balanced though! (Fingers crossed!!) 
> 
> ****Potential triggers mentioned in authors note at the end of the chapter****
> 
> Anyways, thank you all for reading!!! Please, enjoy!!

Klaus tossed his backpack down onto his bunk. _Top bunk_ , of course, as if him being taller or perhaps lankier somehow automatically banished him to such a spot. He wouldn’t complain, though. Honestly, the only inkling of an idea as to what a bunk bed even was he’d learned from television or movies. Klaus always assumed they were primarily used for inmates or small children, since that seemed to be the most common depiction used for them on screen. He supposed there really wasn’t much of a difference. He _was_ there under a court order with other detainees such as himself. So perhaps the bunks fit their situation afterall. He couldn’t help but snicker at the thought. Running his fingers through the tufts of his short dark curls, Klaus glanced around at the small, dank dwelling he and the other four boys he’d been assigned with would be inhabiting. 

“This is where you’ll all be bunking,” the camp counsellor, Brian informed the campers as he continued his tour of the facilities. “Boys in Cabin A, girls in Cabin B. Don’t let us catch you fraternizing with each other outside of the common grounds. That’s right, that means we expect that you all keep your hands to yourselves. No kissing or getting touchy-feely, do you understand?” He advised, wrapping his arms around himself in a hug, running his hands over his body in a poor attempt at mimicking being groped. The campers rolled their eyes, each nodding in understanding.

“Good,” Brian continued, clasping his hands together properly behind his back as he continued to address the new members of The Academy. “This isn’t some vacation. You have all been sent here for a reason. That being said, familiarize yourselves with each other and your counsellors. We’re all you’ll have until your ninety-day stay is complete. My best advice I can offer to you is this: Do not view this as a punishment. Your fundamental turnabout will be your reward. _Now_ ,” he said, clapping his hands together enthusiastically with a broad grin. “Who's ready to eat then have a bit of fun?”

* * *

Klaus sank his pitchfork deep into the pine shavings of the horses stall. He was on stall number four of his total count of six for the day. Disgusting work, really. And smelly too, he thought as he ran the back of his arm across his sweat slicked brow. Klaus wasn’t accustomed to doing...well, much of anything, to be honest. Certainly not any physical labor such as this. His fingers were bloodied from fresh blisters etched into his skin from the wooden handle of his pitchfork. 

Suddenly, Klaus dropped his pitchfork to the ground and coughed, pressing a hand against his belly. If he was being honest with himself, he hadn’t been feeling very well all day. His insides were still too topsy turvy from the lingering effects of his withdrawal. He didn’t have an appetite at lunch; his stomach cramping was too painful to even consider eating. The plane trip coupled with the additional long bus ride over the uneven turf to get here certainly hadn’t helped his situation either. Klaus groaned, outstretching his spindly arm towards the concrete wall to help support himself when he became dizzy. He closed his eyes and blew out a breath to try to stop his world from spinning. His body was protesting enough as it was, he didn’t need this added labor and unrelenting Texas heat to add on top of it.

“You can’t just stop,” Ben, one of the other ‘campers’ informed him. “You need to keep going.” He furrowed his brows when he noticed Klaus’s sweat soaked and trembling form. “Hey wait, are you okay? You don’t look so good—”

“Probably isn’t used to all of this hard manual labor,” Diego taunted, folding his arms across his chest as he leaned against the opening of Klaus’s stall with a smug grin. “Isn’t that right, pretty boy?”

Klaus knew it was only a matter of time before this bullshit would happen. He knew when prodded to ‘talk about himself’ at lunch by his peers that he should have kept his big mouth shut, but no, he just had to tell them the truth. 

_‘Wait, Hargreeves...as in Reginald Hargreeves? The tech mogul?’ Diego asked, eyebrows raised in curiosity._

_’Rumor has it he had a son sent to a detention center,’ Allison added, twirling her tightly wound curls around her finger. ‘I guess the rumors were true.’_

“Shut up, I’m fine,” Klaus tried to say, but the action caused his belly to cramp again. He groaned, pressing his palm harder against his torso. 

The truth was, he was anything but fine. Klaus was unbearably hot; heavy rivulets of sweat beaded over his brow, slicking his skin in a thick sheen of moisture. His limbs were shaking with the weight of his fatigue - a common side effect from his withdrawal. 

Normally, Klaus would have been required to enter into a rehab facility to finish a thirty day stint prior to being shipped off to this literal shit heap, however his father had other plans for him in mind. As a bonus punishment (as in his eyes nothing the judge would require could ever be enough) Reginald decided it would be best if Klaus experienced this ‘new level of obedience’ all alone. In other words, instead of undergoing treatment in a facility where he could be monitored safely while he endured his withdrawal, Klaus was detoxing on his own. He was just thankful he’d already managed to sweat out the majority of the toxins within the few days leading up to his departure to this place, and only wished he’d been able to finish the process prior to being offloaded here. Klaus felt like shit. He was nauseous and exhausted. His stomach cramps were debilitating, and god, he was so unbelievably dizzy. The overwhelming heat and humidity combined with the lack of air flow from being trapped within the concrete walls of this barn wasn’t helping his situation either. 

“Hey,” Ben said softly, stepping closer. “Do you need some water or something? You’re looking a little pale.” He asked, gently pressing his hand against Klaus’s drenched shoulder.

Klaus shook his head ‘no’. Poor Ben, he didn’t belong here, he thought. Each of them were sent to the Academy for different charges. Klaus had been _unfortunate_ enough to learn each of their life stories during their tell-all at lunch. Diego and Luther were here for fighting (each other, as it turned out. What a twisted turn of events for them to be trapped together here to ‘work out their differences.’). Fievel, or Five, as he preferred to be called (truth be told, the kid hated his name - not that Klaus would say that he blamed him) was convicted after being caught carrying a knife at school. He claimed to be a member of a gang called The Commision, but the police couldn't prove his ties to them, so he was sent here instead of a juvenile detention center. Allison was here for blackmail, and Vanya was here for her anxiety meds being stolen and sold by her now ex-boyfriend, Leonard. Okay, she shouldn’t be here either, but all Ben did was break into his school’s system and change all of the final grades to A’s. Kid was a hero, in Klaus’s eyes, and he only wished they’d attended the same school.

“Are you going to pass out?” Ben asked, his features twisting with concern.

Klaus hadn’t even realized he was beginning to see stars. The edges of his vision were blurring; black bleeding into his peripherals. His hearing was echoed and buzzing in a shrill, deafening hum.

“No—” he tried to say, but a sharp pain shot through his stomach. He gasped, pressing his bloodied fingers hard against the horrible feeling.

“Shit,” Diego cursed, eyebrows raising as he stepped further into the stall. “I think he is!”

“Help!” Klaus faintly registered Ben’s worried shouts. “We need some help over here!”

Klaus’s energy was fading fast; his body sinking against the textured concrete of the stall wall beside him. He tried to steady his breathing, to concentrate on what he was doing, where he was, what he was feeling. He knew if he could just stay focused then he would be okay. He wasn’t going to pass out. He couldn’t...but Ben and Diego’s voices were becoming overwhelmed by the buzzing in his ears as Klaus’s awareness continued to dwindle. God, he felt so weak all of a sudden. Maybe he _was_ going to pass out after all…

“Hey,” he faintly registered a new voice. “Listen to me Klaus, are you okay?”

A hand gently began patting his cheek, trying to draw him back to awareness, but Klaus was so tired…

“Klaus, I need you to focus on me, okay?” The newcomer pleaded, but Klaus couldn’t. His eyelids felt so heavy, he just wanted to rest.

“Everybody back up. Give them some room!” Klaus faintly distinguished another voice - Luther, he thought - demand before his awareness began slipping once again.The world around him became bereft of everything. He felt weightless and yet so unbearably heavy all at once. Klaus felt like he was floating, but wait, he knew that couldn’t be right. No, there were arms hooked beneath his knees and behind his back - he was being carried.

“You’re going to be okay, just listen to the sound of my voice, alright?” Klaus’s lashes fluttered open. He squinted, trying to clear the haze from his vision. He wanted to see who this phantom voice belonged to. Slowly his sight sharpened enough and his eyes met a familiar pair of baby blues. “Hey, there you are.” Dave spoke gently, his features soft as he shot Klaus that perfectly crooked grin.

Klaus wanted to smile back, really he did, but his stomach protested the idea and clenched with a painful cramp. Klaus cried out from his discomfort, wrenching his eyes closed. Dave’s eyebrows furrowed as he watched him with worry. “Shh, easy. It’s okay, you’re okay—”

“Put me down,” Klaus whimpered.

“What?” Dave asked, alarmed. “No, I’m taking you to the infirmary—”

“Put me down,” Klaus begged, his head lolling back and forth in protest.

“Klaus, I can’t just put you—”

“Put me down, put me down, please!” Klaus wailed, his trembling hand cupping his mouth when he felt bile begin to creep up his throat.

Dave noticed when the pallor of Klaus’s skin seemed to fade. He was shocked at how pale he’d become, and was alarmed by the amount of sweat clinging to his skin. He could tell Klaus was going to be sick, so he obeyed his wishes - quickly kneeling down and helping Klaus to his knees where he promptly vacated the contents of his belly onto the ground. Dave kept a steadying grip on Klaus, running his palm in a soothing gesture over the drenched fabric of the shirt that clung to his back. Klaus was shaking, his spine arching with each heave and cough his frail body emitted. He felt like he’d been sick for hours, when in reality it had only been a few minutes. Klaus was left utterly exhausted afterwards. His entire being trembling with fatigue. 

“Let it all out,” Dave cooed as Klaus finished, dabbing a handkerchief across his vomit-clad lips. “There you go, all better now. You’re okay.” Dave assured, his calloused hands never wavering from massaging the rigid muscle in the small of Klaus’s back. 

Usually whenever something like this would happen, Klaus would prefer to be left alone. He didn’t ever want anyone to see him at his most vulnerable; but fuck, he did not feel good at all, and honestly? Dave being here to soothe him felt really… _nice._

“M’sorry,” Klaus whispered through his labored breaths.

“You have no reason to apologize,” Dave assured. His voice was kind, with a light hint of a southern drawl. “It’s hot out today, and this was a lot. Plenty of folk wind up sick after day one—hey, are you okay?” Dave asked when he was abruptly interrupted by Klaus’s sudden coughing. Klaus nodded, his weakened frame toggling when he began to slump tiredly towards the ground. 

“Easy there,” Dave murmured gently. He recognized the exact moment when Klaus’s energy dissipated. He knew he needed to get him out of the heat, and fast. Dave pressed forward, pulling Klaus into his strong arms once again. He was surprised by how easy it was to carry him despite his height. “I’ve got you.”

Klaus stared up at the cowboy as he held him, his eyelashes fluttering closed to shield his eyes from the sun. He groaned, nuzzling his face against Dave’s shoulder. Dave could tell he wasn’t feeling well, but he couldn’t help but quirk a crooked grin, tightening his grip on the sickly man’s form when he felt the way his brow pressed against him. “I think you might be a little dehydrated. Let's set you down in the shade and get some water into you, okay?” Klaus could only nod in response, keeping his eyes firmly closed and his face tightly pressed against Dave. 

Being mindful to take it easy in an effort to not trigger Klaus’s nausea, Dave slowly made their way to a bench that was situated beneath the sprawling limbs of a large granddaddy oak just across the courtyard. It’s copious tufts of leaves swayed in the gentle breeze, offering plenty of shade. Dave knew it would be the perfect space to escape the berating rays of the sun. He gently deposited Klaus onto the wooden bench, keeping a steadying grip on his shoulder as he took a seat beside him. Klaus immediately reclined against the bench, resting his head atop the back of it, keeping his eyes pinched tightly closed. 

Dave furrowed his brows in concern when he noticed the way Klaus’s chest was heaving; rising and falling in a flurry of short rapid breaths. “Here,” he said, quickly unscrewing the cap from his canteen before holding it out to Klaus. “Drink this.”

Klaus nodded, accepting the canteen into his unsteady hands. He pressed his parched lips to the bottle, tipping his head back allowing the water to pass his teeth. It’s contents were hot; much hotter than he’d anticipated. The surprise sent Klaus into another hacking fit. 

Dave examined his features, pressing his palm to his cheek. “You’re drenched,” he said, voice strained with worry. “Look, I know it might not be sparkling water or anything fancy, but it’s all I’ve got right now, Klaus. You need to drink. You’re losing more fluids than you’re taking in. You need to stay hydrated if you don’t want to wind up stuck in the infirmary hooked to an IV.”

“Luckily for me, I don’t mind needles,” Klaus tried to joke, but his stomach cramps cut him short.

“ _Drink, Klaus_ ,” Dave said, nudging the canteen closer. 

“I can’t,” Klaus whispered, clutching his stomach in his hands. “I’m sorry, but I just can’t.”

Dave could see the discomfort clearly across Klaus’s features. He could see the way his body trembled, how breathless he was. How exhausted. He knew he must be tired, and sore. 

“Here,” Dave said, voice kind and gentle. He inched himself closer to Klaus, and wrapped his arm around his lower back. Klaus glanced at him, unsure of what to make of the gesture, but he was just so tired, and Dave was being so compassionate - something he wasn’t accustomed to. Klaus gave into the cowboy’s touch, allowing his head to rest against the other man’s shoulder. Dave smiled down at him, adjusting his grip around his waist. “There you go, take it easy. You’ve overworked yourself. Just take a few deep breaths and try to steady your breathing, alright? You think you can do that for me?” Klaus hummed in recognition. “Good, then I’ll need you to at least try to drink a few more sips.”

“It’s hot,” he protested.

“It’s Texas in the middle of July—”

“No,” Klaus couldn’t contain his huff of laughter. Who did this Texan think he was, Sandy Cheeks? “I mean _the water_ is hot.” Klaus couldn’t believe how just a few short words could drain him of so much energy. His eyelids were becoming heavier, his body slumping thoroughly against Dave’s strong embrace. God, he just wanted to sleep.

“Oh yeah, sorry,” Dave chuckled, running his free hand over the light stubble that lined his jaw. “Guess I didn’t think of that.”

Klaus chortled softly, “I guess not.” He closed his eyes, easing himself even deeper against his touch. Perhaps a little too much, really, as he nearly slumped completely over. 

Dave tightened his grip, worried when Klaus nearly fell. “Whoa, are you okay?”

Klaus hummed, his eyelids barely parting into slits. “M’sorry, jus’tired.” 

Dave nodded in understanding. It made sense, after all. It was day one and he was aware it’d been a long trip out here for everyone. They didn’t get a chance to acclimate prior to being thrown to work. With the heat already affecting him so badly it was making him nauseous, Dave wasn’t surprised Klaus was so exhausted.

“Besides,” Klaus’s hushed words pulled Dave from his thoughts. “It’s just withdrawals.”

“Wait, _withdrawals_?” Dave asked, his tone rising an octave in concern. This news had not been something he’d anticipated. “Didn’t they let you finish your rehab stint?”

Klaus snorted at Dave’s naive remark. As if on cue, his body began to quiver; strong chills wracking his feeble form, unsure how to handle it’s newfound trek towards this forced sobriety. 

“Nah,” he began through chattering teeth. “I didn’t get to partake in one of those luxurious stays. My dearest pa-paw felt it best if he tossed me to the wolves instead.”

“What? Klaus, that’s dangerous,” Dave said, taking a moment to examine Klaus’s features. He could see how pale he was, how gray his pallor was despite the heat. The chills that were plaguing him. He pressed his hand to his forehead, and Klaus couldn’t help but close his eyes, gravitating towards his touch. “Christ, you’re burning up—”

“Fever’s part of the detoxing process, Davey. It’ll pass, don’t you worry about lil old me, m’fine.” Klaus assured, exhaling a snort through his nose. He slowly willed his eyes to open; immediately being met by Dave’s worried blues. “I guess you could say this aint my first rodeo.”

Dave frowned, nodding his head as he pulled Klaus closer. “Still, I don’t like this. Let me take you to the infirmary, you should be monitored through this. Kept hydrated. They might be able to give you something to help—”

“Nah,” Klaus said, swatting his hand before him airily. “It’s fine—”

“ _Fine_?” Dave nearly barked. He was astonished Klaus would even attempt to pretend that anything about this was fine. “This isn’t fine, _you_ are not fine, Klaus. This is incredibly dangerous, quitting drugs cold turkey like this could kill you—”

“Pfft,” Klaus huffed, “Dave stop. I’m a big boy, I can handle this. I’ll be a-okay in no time.” He groaned, his eyes snapping closed when a pain tore through his abdomen. Dave leaned closer, watching him worriedly. “I just need to sweat it out and get some rest.” He whispered. Klaus was so tired, he could hardly stay awake any longer. His head felt so heavy all of a sudden, he allowed it to collapse against Dave’s shoulder. 

On a normal day, Klaus wouldn’t permit himself to be this forward. Okay, maybe that was a lie, he absolutely would - but only under different situational context. Truthfully, if Klaus had met Dave at some party, he would have already had him in the sack. It was a skillset he was proud to possess - easily attracting any potential suitor that had been fortunate enough to catch his eye. He’d like to think he could thank his mother for his good looks, and most _definitely_ for his charm. He didn’t think he could attribute much of anything to his father. Perhaps his taste in high-class aged brandy, but certainly none of his _positive_ traits.

Klaus coughed, emitting a rather pathetic groan as he nuzzled into the curve of Dave’s neck. He was thoroughly exhausted, and sick or not, something about being held within Dave’s arms so carefully made him feel comfortable. Made him feel _Safe_. He didn’t want to move away from this spot, but he knew his aching body desperately needed to rest. He just hoped his illness wouldn’t get him in trouble with camp counsellor Brian - or worse, get _Dave_ in trouble for helping _him_.

“Here,” Dave said, gently easing Klaus back into his arms. He was far too beat to even attempt to stand, so he supposed being carried like some damsel in distress wasn’t so degrading after all. “Let’s get you inside—”

“No,” Klaus protested; slender fingers digging into the collar of Dave’s blue flannel shirt in a vice-like grip. “I don’t want to go to the infirmary.”

Dave shook his head, his lips twitching into a crooked grin. “No infirmary. But, let’s at least get you back to your cabin. A little air conditioning and rest ought to do the trick.”

Klaus nodded, allowing himself to relax within Dave’s strong arms.

“And water.”

“Blegh!” Klaus grumbled, sticking his tongue out. He sucked in a sharp breath, pressing his palm against his roiling belly.

“I mean it, Klaus,” Dave insisted. “If you don’t want to go to the infirmary then you need to stay hydrated.”

“Yeah, yeah. Fine, whatever.” Klaus closed his eyes, burying his forehead beneath Dave’s chin. 

He felt himself beginning to drift off; tight muscles becoming slack as the soothing sound of loose gravel crunched beneath the sole of Dave’s cowboy boots. He was nearly unconscious when Dave’s steps faltered to a halt. 

“What are you doing?” Klaus forced his eyes open at the sound of camp counsellor Brian’s gruff accusation. “Why isn’t that boy in the stable mucking with the rest of his group?”

“He’s sick,” Dave informed simply. “He nearly passed out, I think he just got a little overheated.” Klaus noticed the way Dave purposely left out the part about him _‘going through withdrawals’_ from his speech and was thankful for his careful choice of words - surely if it were up to Brian Klaus would definitely be forced to go to the infirmary after all. “I’m just going to bring him back to his cabin; let him cool down and sleep it off.”

Brian squared his shoulders, placing his hands on his hips. Klaus didn’t understand why he looked like he was gearing up for an argument. He was sick, what did it matter? “Dave, you know—”

“It’s fine, uncle Brian,” _Uncle?_ Klaus noted curiously. He certainly hadn’t expected that. Brian had already proven himself to be a cold militant-type, the exact polar opposite of Dave’s evidently warm and caring persona. “I can handle this, don’t worry about it. The others will wonder where you disappeared off to, go on, I’ve got him.”

Brian’s features stayed stern, but his posture softened. “Fine,” he said as he turned to leave. “But keep him out of trouble!”

Klaus kept his eyes closed throughout the duration of the journey back to the cabin. His head was beginning to pound with the start of a migraine. The sun was blinding enough as it was seeping through his closed eyelids, he didn’t even want to begin to imagine how harsh it would be should he open them. Instead, he focused on his breathing; it was the only thing that seemed to help keep the nausea brewing within his belly at bay. After a while, Klaus felt himself begin to relax once again, lulled by a new sound - the steady rhythm of Dave’s heart beating beneath the shell of his ear. He allowed the sensations around him to flood his senses; the feeling of Dave’s chest rising and falling with each breath he took, the groaning of rickety wooden beams when Dave ascended the three steps that lead into Klaus’s cabin. 

Dave pushed the door open with his shoulder, entering into the small living space. “Which bunk is yours?” he asked, being mindful to keep his voice down. He didn’t want to further exacerbate Klaus’s headache.

Without dislodging himself from his position within Dave’s arms, Klaus hummed and weakly gestured towards the far left corner of the room where his bunk resided. “Top.”

Dave easily carried him to the bed, glancing down at Klaus’s trembling form before gazing up at the bunk above him. “Well, you’re bottom now.”

“Oooh, am I?” Klaus weakly attempted to joke, but his belly cramped causing him to hiss in pain.

Dave furrowed his brows at the pitiful sight of Klaus. He admired that despite him clearly being so unwell, at least he still tried to grasp onto his humor. “Yes,” he said as he slowly lowered Klaus’s quaking frame onto the small, lumpy lower mattress. “It’s closer to the latrine in case you need it - which so far you’ve proven you do. But also,” Dave took the opportunity to push Klaus’s sweat dampened curls away from his eyes, feeling his forehead. “Your fever is getting worse. I need to work on getting it down. Kind of hard to do that if you’re up there.” he said, pointing to the top bunk.

Klaus curled onto his side, coiling his fingers into the thin sheet below him. He shivered, tugging the starched fabric to his lips when he started to cough. Dave couldn’t believe how terrible he looked. His health had deteriorated so rapidly since he’d first arrived that morning; it was quite jarring seeing him this way now.

“My h-hero,” Klaus whispered through chattering teeth.

Dave quirked that lopsided grin of his, tucking the sheet around Klaus’s quivering form. He only hoped it would be enough to help chase his chills away. “I’ll be right back,” he assured. 

Dave rose to his feet, making his way towards the bathroom. Klaus couldn’t help but notice the obvious loss of Dave’s presence the moment that he departed. His limbs continued to tremble, and his heart was rabidly pounding away in his chest. His stomach felt like it was trying to filet itself open from the inside. God, he had never felt so sick. Suddenly, the cot dipped beside him, informing him of Dave’s reappearance. Klaus closed his eyes, revelling in the sensation of Dave’s hand touching his forehead, then cheek, and neck. It was sweet, he thought, how he kept checking his temperature. It was nice to experience what it would be like if someone were to actually _care_ about him. He shuddered, shrinking away when a cool, damp cloth was pressed to his cheek. Dave blotted the fabric against him, working hard at trying to whisk away his sweat.

“This ought to help,” Dave assured, patting the towel in soft, steady strokes against Klaus’s fever flushed skin. 

Klaus swallowed thickly, opening his eyes into slits. His vision was blurry, he noticed, so he tried to blink a few times to get it to focus. Unfortunately, his efforts didn’t seem to be helping. “Mm, that feels kinda nice.”

Dave nodded, trying and failing to hide his shy smile. It did feel nice, _really nice_ , having a beautiful man right at the edge of his fingertips. In fact, that’s what led Dave to being here in the first place. The truth was, Dave was no different than Klaus, in that he too was here by no choice of his own. Back home in Iowa he’d had his eyes on a few potential suitors, none of which his father approved of. Not because of their grades in school, or the career fields they’d decided to get into. No, nothing like that - but because they were the same _gender_ as he was. Dave realized from an early age that he was gay, but unfortunately, his father had his nose buried too deep in the Bible to see that Dave’s sexual preferences did not define who he was as a person. He was too caught up in his religious beliefs and simply would not stand behind his sons ‘wicked ideations’ that lusting after a man would ever be alright. So, he sent him to stay with his uncle here in Texas. Surely, a little hard work and focusing his attention on correcting others would somehow rub off on Dave and he’d be able to correct himself as well. Too bad there was nothing that needed to be corrected. He knew who he was, how his heart worked. And he knew that no matter how hard his father may try to change him, Dave would always stay the same. 

Especially not when someone like Klaus was being dangled right in front of his face. Dave didn’t know what it was about Klaus, but he’d immediately drawn his attention the second his eyes landed on his tousled mop of curls. He felt butterflies in his stomach when he caught a glimpse of Klaus’s kohl-rimmed eyes. God, he’d never seen a more beautiful shade of emerald green in his life.

Dave’s smile faded, however, when he realized how glazed those beautiful eyes currently were. He couldn’t believe how unwell Klaus was. He thought _his_ dad was bad; but for a father to be so heinous that he would force his own flesh and blood through something as dangerous as forced withdrawal? Dave was disgusted and appalled. “I need you to try to drink some water now.”

“M’really not thirsty, Dave,” Klaus whined, nuzzling himself deeper beneath the warmth of the sheet.

“I know,” Dave cooed. “But, you need it. You’re dehydrated, Klaus. The vomiting will only make things worse. Now, come on, I’ll help you.”

Klaus grunted in discomfort when Dave helped ease him into a seated position; keeping a steadying grip on his shoulder when he started to sway.

“Here,” he said, pressing a new water bottle to Klaus’s parched lips. “Sorry, I know it's not cold, but I fear that may only make you sick again. But, I promise it’s not even half as bad as my canteen was.”

Klaus hesitated, eyeing Dave earnestly. He could see how eager he was that Klaus at least attempted to drink. He nodded, allowing his lips to part, accepting the offer. Dave tipped the bottom of the bottle up for Klaus who managed to swallow a few meager sips. It wasn’t much cooler, but Dave was right - it was definitely a lot better than the lava-hot liquid had been from his canteen. Klaus drank as much of the fluid as his ailing belly would allow, which honestly, wasn’t very much before it began to cramp at how full he felt. He started coughing; water spluttering from his mouth as he began to choke. 

Dave immediately pulled the bottle away, rubbing Klaus’s back. “Easy,” he cooed. “Maybe that’s enough for now?”

“Yeah,” Klaus agreed breathlessly. He groaned, his chills intensifying once more. He was so uncomfortable. Left exhausted from his recent coughing fit, Klaus leaned against Dave’s side, resting his head on his shoulder. He was too tired to keep his eyes open any longer. Dave could feel heat rise to his cheeks at the sensation of Klaus’s curls brushing against his jaw. That brief moment of euphoria quickly faded, however, when Klaus moaned as his belly cramped again. He pressed his fingers against it, attempting to massage the uncomfortable feeling away. “I thought I was through with all of this.”

Dave hugged Klaus closer. “Shh,” he soothed. “Just try to take it easy for a little while.” He frowned when he felt the fever radiating from Klaus’s brow. “And maybe it would be best if you lied back down.”

Klaus could only nod as Dave helped ease his weary body down against the mattress; being certain to tuck the sheet around his quaking form. He pressed his palm to Klaus’s forehead again, tisking at how high his temperature had gotten since just that morning. Dave quickly grabbed the damp cloth, refolded it to find a cooler section, then pressed it against Klaus’s brow, blotting it gently. 

“Sorry m’ruining your fun-filled evening of bossing shit bags like me around.” Klaus mumbled; but the joke was lost in translation due to his chattering teeth.

“Don’t say that,” Dave frowned at his calloused statement, being sure to correct him. ”You’re not a shit bag.”

“You’re right,” Klaus agreed. “I prefer the term ‘sexy trash’.” Dave’s exasperated huff in reply was enough for Klaus to know that he was not amused. He sighed, before continuing. “Oh, come on Dave. You know it’s true. Wealthy son of a billionaire, never had to work a day in my life? I’d be in jail right now if it wouldn’t ruin daddy-dearest’s good name. I’m really something special - a real winner, Dave.”

“Don’t talk about yourself like that,” Dave said. “And I’m sure your dad is just doing what he thinks is best for you because he loves you. And besides, this place is definitely the better option in comparison to jail—”

Klaus couldn’t contain his scoff at Dave’s words. An uneasy silence filled the air after that, neither man sure of what to say. Dave cleared his throat, shifting his sight to Klaus. “Do uh, you two not get along?” Klaus looked way from Dave’s expectant gaze, burying himself deeper beneath the blanket. “Klaus—”

“No, okay?” Klaus huffed out quickly. “We don’t. All my life he’s blamed me for something I didn’t do. Well...never _meant to do_ , anyways. You don’t get it, Dave. My dad? He doesn’t just dislike me, _he hates me_ , and he’s sure to remind me whenever he gets that chance. Him sending me here, instead of jail? It wasn’t to ‘be nice’ or ‘protect me’ Dave, it was to protect himself.” 

Klaus’s words were interrupted by another severe coughing fit. He hacked and heaved until he was left breathless and limp atop the mattress. Dave rubbed his back, whispering words of reassurance. “Even this,” Klaus whispered between his labored breaths. “Why else would I be like this, huh? Any father who gives a shit would ensure their child would be permitted the opportunity to detox safely under the watchful eye of a medical professional. Look around you, Dave. Do you see any nurses or doctors here?” Klaus took Dave’s silence as enough of an answer. “Exactly. My dad,” he coughed again, curling himself into a tight ball, back faced towards Dave before he whispered, “my dad probably only hopes this would kill me.”

Dave hadn’t quite caught the tail end of Klaus’s final statement, much to Klaus’s relief, but he had heard enough to understand that Klaus was clearly a deeply troubled young man. He sighed, shimmying closer until he was sitting just behind him. Dave laid his palm over Klaus’s shoulder, reassuringly rubbing comforting circles into his skin.

“Yeah, well, you’re not alone,” he informed him earnestly. “My old man and I don’t get along too well either.”

Klaus rolled over to face Dave, eyebrows rising theatrically. “You? Daddy issues?”

Dave scoffed in response, rolling his eyes playfully. He smiled, allowing himself to shimmy down so that he was on Klaus’s level. He laid there on his side, propped on his elbow as he gingerly guided the damp cloth to stay pressed against Klaus’s temple. “Yup,” he mimicked Klaus’s earlier action of popping the ‘P’. “Let’s just say he and I didn’t exactly see eye to eye on a few choices I’ve made for myself. That’s...actually why I’m here.”

“What, did you kill someone, knock a girl up?” Klaus asked, clearly interested in Dave’s back story. Suddenly he gasped, pressing his hand to his mouth in feigned surprise before exaggeratedly whispering, “You didn’t want to keep the baby?” 

A laugh forced itself past Dave’s lips. Shaking his head at such a ridiculous query, he allowed himself to lie down flat on the bed beside Klaus. “No, no - nothing like that.”

“Well, come on then, out with it,” Klaus urged, poking his finger into Dave’s side; thoroughly intrigued to learn the truth. “What’s this deep dark secret you’re so unwilling to share?”

Dave smiled that crooked grin of his. He loved the way Klaus showed so much enthusiasm over his own life. It was sweet, and admittedly he found it to be pretty stinkin adorable. His blue eyes met Klaus's hazy greens and he sighed, his smile slowly fading. “This needs re-wetting,” he said, gently removing the cloth from Klaus’s brow before sitting up. “I’ll be right back.” 

Truth be told, it wasn’t that Dave didn’t want to go over every detail of his life with Klaus, because he absolutely did. Hell, more than anything. It was just, he’d never met anyone like him before. Maybe it was the fever making him act that way, but Klaus genuinely seemed to enjoy Dave’s company. And he didn’t even seem to mind his touch. Perhaps he was simply reading too much into it; Klaus was sick, after all, and he wouldn’t necessarily classify what he was doing as ‘flirting’, but Klaus certainly wasn’t trying to shy away, either. It probably didn’t mean anything, and honestly, Dave wondered if he should even tone his actions down. Maybe he was being too forward? He _was_ a camp counsellor, after all. There were strict rules he was to abide by. Brian’s number one rule, ‘no fraternizing’ definitely rang a bell, but there was just something about Klaus that felt so….safe. Made it feel like, for once in his life, what he was feeling wasn’t wrong.

Wringing out the excess water into the sink, Dave folded the towel and made his way towards Klaus’s bunk. Maybe, he thought, it wouldn’t hurt to tell Klaus the truth about him after all? As he approached the bed, however, he quickly realized that today was not the day for him to get that chance. 

The soft murmur of Klaus’s light snores filled the air. Dave knew that he was exhausted, and was glad that he was finally able to get some proper rest. He couldn’t hide the grin that spanned his lips as he reclaimed his position beside the slumbering figure on the bed; resuming his task of blotting the cool cloth against Klaus’s feverish skin. 

He had to make several trips back and forth to the bathroom to re-dampen the cloth, and was just thankful that Klaus never stirred once. He must have been more tired than he’d originally thought. Thankfully within time, Dave was pleased when he realized his tactic was working. Pressing his palm to Klaus’s forehead, he smiled when he found that his fever had dramatically lessened. He was still too warm for his liking, but he was definitely heading in the right direction. Dave continued to tend to Klaus, smiling as he watched his lashes flutter as he dreamt. He looked peaceful, he noted, despite how awful his day had been.

“Hey,” an unexpected voice called, startling Dave from his thoughts. “That’s my bunk!” Ben shouted, closing the door behind him as he approached them on the bed. Looking down and noticing Klaus was unconscious; a damp towel pressed to his forehead and cheeks paler than they’d been that morning in the barn, he lowered his voice, ducking down to get a better view. “Is he okay?”

“Fever,” Dave informed, pulling the towel away to check his temperature again before re-folding it and replacing it against his forehead. “But, it’s getting better. Sorry about the bed swap, I couldn’t treat him properly up there.” He explained, pointing at the top bunk.

Ben nodded before furrowing his brows inquisitively. “But, wait—”

“Why are you treating him at all?” Five demanded. Everyone glanced at the younger teen, surprised by his sudden accusation. Man, that kid had a sour attitude. 

“Shouldn’t he be in the infirmary if he’s sick?” Luther questioned, eyeing the situation warily.

“Pfft,” Diego scoffed, coming closer. “He ain't ‘sick’. He’s probably going through withdrawals.” He laughed, nodding his head at Dave’s silence. “I’m right, aren’t I?”

“ _What?_ ” Luther asked, alarmed. “Are you nuts? He’s here under a court mandate, he would have gone to rehab before coming here—”

“No,” Dave informed glumly, adjusting the towel on Klaus’s skin. “He’s right.”

Ben, Luther and Five all shared horrified glances at this news. Diego, on the other hand, clapped his hands together with joy. “Ha! I knew it!”

“His dad worked it out with the judge that he would be sent here without rehab as a form of ‘additional punishment’.” Dave let them know, eyeing Diego’s smiling face with deep agitation.

“But wait, isn’t that dangerous?” Ben asked, features pinched with worry. He may not know Klaus well, hell, or even at all, really - but he didn’t want him to be sick or hurt.

“Dangerous?” Diego snorted, folding his arms across his chest. “It could outright kill him. His old man is a real class act, huh?” He added, looking at Klaus. Even his demeanor softened at the sight of him. He looked so sickly and pale. “Hey, seriously - why isn’t he in the infirmary, then? Shouldn’t he be in a hospital or something?”

“Honestly? Probably, yeah.” Dave said. “But, he didn’t want to go. He said he thinks he’s through the bulk of it; just thinks the heat and work triggered him. He’s doing better, it’s just…” he paused, looking worriedly at Klaus. “He needs to rest.”

Five scoffed. “Too bad he’s shit out of luck when it comes to ‘getting rest’ here - we’re at a work camp. Manual labor is kind of the entire point of this place.”

Dave shook his head. “No, I’m a counsellor and I’m making the call. He gets the next couple of days off, just until he’s over the hump. He needs to stay hydrated and get plenty of sleep or he’ll only continue to get worse—”

“What about us?” Diego demanded, stepping threateningly towards Dave. 

Dave shrugged. “What about you?”

“That’s fucking bullshit and you know it,” Diego growled, getting right in Dave’s face, pointing at Klaus’s unconscious form. “He gets to take it easy while we have to bust our asses—”

Luther stepped forward, pulling Diego away from Dave. “None of us are sick from withdrawal!”

Diego shrugged out of Luther’s grasp. “Get your fuckin’ hands off me,” he growled, shoving the larger man away. “And this shit? This was his choice!”

“Drop it, Diego!” Luther demanded.

“He didn’t _choose_ to detox here!” Dave interrupted, voice elevated just enough to shut them both up. He stood, glancing down at Klaus, just happy that all of the arguing hadn’t disrupted his slumber. “That’s enough - this conversation is over. Now, be quiet; Klaus needs to rest. All of you do, and,” Dave stepped forward, stern blue gaze meeting Diego’s irate brown’s. “Hit the showers, your attitude stinks - and I think it’s about time for you to cool off.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **TW: Drug withdrawal, mentioned/extremely vague depiction of vomiting, mentioned canon-typical homophobia.**  
>  (If others need to be added please let me know!! I’m trying to do better and remember to list these!!!)
> 
> Thank you all for reading along so far, I appreciate you!
> 
> If you’re liking what you see, I’d love to hear from you in the comments!! And thank you to everyone who has commented, bookmarked, subscribed and left kudos so far! You’re all amazing!!
> 
> Be sure to keep an eye out in the near-ish future for more of this story (and eventually my other WIPS as well!!) 
> 
> Thank you all again!! Much love, stay safe, and take care!! xoxo


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn’t planning on updating so fast this time, but I decided to offer a little treat!
> 
> I’m excited y’all!! I’m half way done writing this story and it’s going pretty smoothly! So to celebrate I’m giving you a new chapter!! Not sure when the next one will be posted, but I hope you’ll enjoy this one in the meantime!! 
> 
> If you do enjoy it, I’d love to hear from you in the comments!! :)
> 
> I’ll quit rambling, I hope you enjoy!!!

Klaus’s fever broke completely three days later. Unfortunately for him, that meant his days of bed rest were officially over. Too bad, really, he had to admit - they’d been nice while they lasted. Klaus was just thankful that he didn’t have to be bored out of his mind throughout the duration of time. He could always count on Dave to be by his side. At least every two hours, anyways; making sure he was actually resting when he should have been and drinking plenty of fluids - no matter how much he may have protested. He would check, then recheck, and recheck again his temperature, even blotting the sweat away from his feverish skin whenever he deemed it to be too elevated. Klaus would just smile, thoroughly appreciative of the gesture. 

As it turned out, being the only child of a father who fucked off to anywhere other than ‘here’ left Klaus tending to feel...well, pretty damn lonely. Growing up, he’d never had any true friends. None that could handle his chaotic nature for more than five minutes at a time, anyways. But Dave? _Dave was different_. Not only was he there for Klaus while he was at his most vulnerable, but he actually seemed like he _wanted_ to be. For the first time in Klaus’s life, he felt as though he’d found someone he could be his truest, most authentic self around. Without the typical harsh judgement and backhanded comments that usually would accompany it. 

So, bearing that realization in mind, he decided to view his sick-leave as the perfect opportunity to get to know his cowboy-camp counsellor a little bit better.

He learned that the two of them actually shared a lot in common. Dave was also an only child, and his father worked for a synagogue. Apparently his father was jewish while his mother was catholic. Dave teetered between the two growing up, but admitted that he never really fully committed to either religion.

_‘You’re jewish?’ Klaus gawked, ‘I gotta say, I didn’t expect that. Although, to be fair, I didn’t know cowboys came in that variety. Always pictured them lassoing Bibles from horseback while chanting Christian hymns or whatever they’re called.’ Klaus joked, waving his hand airily._

_Dave shook his head, rolling his eyes at Klaus’s absurd comment. ‘Yeah, believe it or not, cowboys come in a lot of different varieties,’ he chuckled, blotting the sweat from Klaus’s brow. ‘I’m kind of Jewish, kind of not? My ma tried to raise me Catholic, while my dad always tried to push for Judaism. But...I mean, not that I don’t believe in a higher power, I just...I don’t know, religion was never really my thing, so I guess I never truly conformed to either.’_

_‘That seems fair,’ Klaus nodded, lips puckered in thought._

_‘What about you?’ Dave questioned._

_‘Me?’_

_‘Yeah,’ Dave laughed. ‘What do you believe in, Klaus?’_

_Klaus folded his arms behind his head, gaze trailing towards the bunk above him. ‘I guess you could say I neither believe nor disbelieve,” he admitted, smiling at Dave. ‘But, if I were to put a label to the phrase, I guess I’d say I’m agnostic.’_

_‘Oh,’ Dave said, returning Klaus’s grin. ‘I guess I could picture that.’_

Another eerie connection that they learned they shared was the fact that they’d both lost their mothers early in life. Klaus's mother didn’t survive his birth, while Dave’s mother passed away when he was only eight years old. He was sad for Dave; Klaus more than anyone knew how hard life could be without your mother. But he couldn’t help but feel the slightest tinge of jealousy, too. At least Dave got the opportunity to know his. To love her while she was around, and have her there to teach him things while he grew. It may have been a short lived relationship that they shared - but at least Dave was lucky enough to _have_ that opportunity. He was happy for them, really he was. He just couldn’t help but feel sad that he didn’t get to experience his mothers love like that, too.

Dave and his father’s relationship, on the other hand, had been the polar opposite of Klaus and Reginald’s - until more recently, anyways. _That_ news piqued Klaus’s interest. What on earth could have happened to cause such a drastic change? Klaus prodded Dave, trying desperately to wheedle that information out of him, but everytime Dave finally caved and went to explain the reasoning behind their falling out, they would always get interrupted. Either by a fellow camper, or Klaus’s least favorite culprit of them all, Dave’s uncle Brian. 

Klaus didn’t fully know how to explain it, but he didn’t like Brian very much. He always regarded him with cold eyes, and seemed to treat Dave extra harshley whenever he’d be tending to him, trying to lower his fever. He didn’t understand what the big deal was; couldn’t a sick man have a friend take care of him? Unfortunately for Klaus, it was made blatantly clear rather quickly that Brian didn’t much care for him, either. He knew without a doubt in his mind that when Dave stopped coming by as frequently to check on him that Brian must’ve had something to do with it. 

On Klaus’s third day of bedrest, it was Brian who arrived in the morning to check his temperature; deeming Klaus healthy enough to return to his regularly scheduled camp duties when he’d found it to be just below one hundred degrees. Klaus didn’t even care anymore, low grade fever or not, he was just ready to get off of his wretched bunk, get the hell away from Brian and go find Dave.

_‘Alrighty, sounds like a plan! Thanks for giving me the all clear, Bri-Bri! See ya around!’ Klaus cheered, all but catapulting himself from his cot._

_‘Don’t call me—‘ But Klaus was already gone._

He stretched his long limbs above his head, listening to the bones in his back snap, crackle, and pop as he made the long trek down the trail to re-join his band of misfits.

“You’re back!” Ben cheered, face nearly split in half from how wide his smile spanned.

Klaus returned the grin, making his way over to Ben’s side, patting his shoulder in a firm salutation. “Sure am! Brian gave me a clean bill of health! So I guess it’s time to rejoin the workforce.”

“About time!” Ben joked, nudging Klaus’s side. Klaus giggled, swatting the younger boy's elbow before pulling away. 

Ben had quickly become Klaus’s next closest friend out here, other than Dave. Being so sickly the past few days, Klaus never had much energy and was thoroughly wrecked by the time Ben and the other’s returned to their cabin. He didn’t always engage in much conversation, but sometimes Ben just needed an ear to listen. Maybe it was just because they shared a bunk (and Klaus was literally too weak to even attempt to get away), or perhaps it was because the other’s were always too preoccupied with trying to avoid one another (unless you were one of the girls in Cabin B, that is), but whatever the reason, Ben would always come to Klaus to confide in. And honestly, Klaus wouldn’t complain. He’d never had anyone actively seek his presence for assurance before; it kind of made him feel like a big brother - something he’d never gotten to experience. He’d never admit it out loud or directly to Ben’s face (and he’d deny the hell out of it if anyone were ever to ask) but he genuinely enjoyed their talks.

“So you’re okay?” Ben asked, just wanting to make certain. His features were soft, unable to conceal his concern.

Klaus nodded, a broad grin plastered across his face. “Never better,” he assured; emerald gaze trailing towards Dave’s awaiting blue’s. “Wouldn’t you know it, cowboy-camp counsellor Dave Katz makes a mighty fine nurse!” He said, sure to use the best (or maybe worst) southern belle accent he could muster.

Dave’s cheeks flushed at the comment. He cleared his throat, tipping his head enough to conceal his features beneath the brim of his stetson hat as he scanned over the itinerary for the day. “Good to have you back among the land of the living, Hargreeves,” he joked, eliciting a snort and a double thumbs up from Klaus. “Today you’ll all be learning the proper ways to groom, tack up and ride a horse.”

* * *

Klaus huffed out an exasperated sigh, wiping the sweat from his brow. He had to admit though, grooming hadn’t been so difficult. In fact, he’d found that it was almost therapeutic. A way to slow the constantly whirring gears in his head down, if even for a little while. He was lucky he was tall though; it made the task of seeing over the withers of the horse he was assigned a lot easier. His horse's name was Bejai; a dappled black draft cross that Dave deemed would be the best fit for a rider as ‘green’ as himself. Klaus learned that when grooming a horse, you always wanted to start with a curry-comb. It was an oval shaped rubberized brush with little nubbies, just big enough to fit the palm of his hand. He learned that he had to run it over Bejai’s body in circular motions. He was told it helped loosen all the dirt and debris from his skin while helping to stimulate blood flow. Bejai was a big fan of this brush; arching his neck to willingly accept the little massage. Next he learned that you used a set of three separate dandy brushes with hard, medium and soft bristles (which Klaus affectionately nicknamed the ‘handy-dandy bunch’). He was confused as to why he had to use so many of them, but Dave was a professional compared to his novice, so he trusted his word and wouldn’t dare complain. When done grooming, he finished by spritzing his horse off with fly spray, a citronella scented insect repellent. Some of the other campers didn’t much care for the smell, but Klaus found that he actually rather enjoyed it. It was definitely the fresher scent in comparison to the steaming pile of shit Luther’s horse Arrow left on the crossties, anyways. The only part that offered Klaus any trouble was picking Bejai’s hooves. He was lazy, as he came to find out rather quickly (which might’ve been the true reasoning behind Dave sticking those two together) and he seemed to think Klaus made the perfect object to sink all of his weight into. It would’ve almost been comical, if he didn’t weigh so damn much.

Aching back and shoulders aside, Klaus was pleased with himself when he finished. He’d easily gained three pounds worth of dirt beneath his nails to show for his hard work, but he didn’t mind. Besides, his chipping black nail varnish did a decent job of concealing the majority of it, anyway. 

Putting the tack onto the horse wasn’t too bad, but it did cause him the slightest bit of difficulty. He’d like to attribute the majority of his struggle to the lingering fatigue from his recent illness. He _was_ still quite tired, afterall, but dammit the saddle was heavy. Thankfully, Dave seemed to tune into Klaus’s floundering and was immediately by his side to offer his assistance. He explained that the textured leather of his roughout saddle made it easier for a new rider such as Klaus to grip onto the seat without the aid of chaps. Klaus couldn’t help but snicker at the idea of Dave parading around in a pair of assless chaps - but thankfully he was wise enough to keep that comment to himself. Finishing up, Klaus pulled the girth up to Bejai’s belly, single looping the latigo through the cinch.

“Wait, no,” Dave said, gesturing his hands towards the task to help correct the situation. “You want to double loop it.”

“Oh, right,” Klaus nodded, being sure to thread the leather through the cinch again.

“Good,” Dave praised, smiling as he watched Klaus tug the girth tighter. “Now you just tie the leather strap like you would a necktie.” 

Klaus stared at Dave, tilting his head in confusion. “Uh—”

“Surely a socialite such as yourself would know how to tie a tie?” Dave stated, quirking an eyebrow inquisitively. 

“Look Dave, I’m gonna be honest,” Klaus began, lips tugged into an almost cocky grin. “Just because I was raised around that bullshit doesn’t mean I’d ever learned how to properly conform to it. I mean really, do I _look_ like the type of guy to wear one of those nooses to you?” he asked, gesturing down at his cuffed skinny jeans littered with rips and tears and his tie-dyed shirt that was damn near a crop top with how much it exposed his navel. But man, Dave couldn’t help but notice how that myriad of colors made the green of his kohl rimmed eyes really pop.

“Good point,” Dave said simply before stepping closer towards Klaus. “Scoot over, I’ll show you how to do it once, then I want you to try on your own, deal?”

Klaus straightened his posture, offering a lazy salute. “Scouts honor!”

Dave smirked, rolling his eyes affectionately as he shimmied in front of Klaus to demonstrate the proper way to fasten the girth. Klaus watched attentively, admiring the way the muscles in Dave’s arms flexed as they moved. “Then you just loop the extra length of your latigo through this strap holder like this,” he said, tugging the length of the leather through the holder and effectively snapping Klaus out of his daydream. “Think you got it?”

“I’ll do my best!” Klaus promised, accepting the now fully undone girth into his hands.

Dave watched Klaus patiently as he slowly attempted to mimic the actions he’d just observed. Dave surveyed him while he worked; noting the way Klaus worried his bottom lip in concentration, eyebrows knitted tightly as he focused on the task at hand. Dave’s lip quirked into a lopsided grin - his face just looked too cute.

“Here, let me help you,” Dave offered when he came to realize Klaus must’ve been thoroughly lost. He placed himself directly behind Klaus, pressing his broad chest against his slender back as he peered towards the saddle just over Klaus’s shoulder; taking his hands into his own. He felt his heartbeat quicken at the contact, but quickly swallowed down the feeling. Dave guided Klaus’s hands, having _him_ do the bulk of the work as they properly cinched the girth together. Dave cleared his throat, pulling away as he adjusted his hat on his head. “There, that wasn't so hard now, was it. You did it!” He laughed.

“Yeah,” Klaus nodded, rubbing his palm down his bare arm. “I guess I did.”

Dave’s laughter faltered when he noticed that goosebumps had sprawled down both of Klaus’s arms. “Hey, are you okay?” He asked, realizing the way Klaus was trembling. Pressing the back of his hand to his forehead, Dave asked, “You aren't still sick, are you?” 

Klaus shied away, holding up his hands placatingly. “No, no, I’m fine...I’m totally fine.”

“Alright,” Dave said begrudgingly, allowing his hand that still lingered in the air between them to relax down against his side. He offered a gentle smile, pulling Bejai’s bridle off the rack beside them. “Well, then let’s finish up and get you on.”

* * *

Dave pulled the reins from Bejai’s neck and handed them over to Klaus. He reached to accept them, when the cowboy unexpectedly grabbed a hold of his hands, flipping them both palms up, eyeing them warily. “You still have some blisters,” he noted, running his thumbs over the raised skin. Klaus could feel his heart racing from the delicate touch. Quickly plucking his gloves from his back pocket, Dave wrung them between his hands, brows furrowed in apparent deep thought before giving them to Klaus. “Here, take these. They might be a little damp still from my morning chores,” he admitted with a bashful grin, running his fingers through his cropped golden curls. “M’sorry ‘bout that, but they ought to help.”

“Oh, wow, thanks Dave,” Klaus said, feeling heat rise to his cheeks. He quickly slid the gloves onto his hands, flexing his fingers within the worn material. Just as he’d warned, they were a little damp, but he didn’t mind. He smiled, noticing how oversized the gloves were compared to his slender fingers and couldn’t help his mind from wandering. There _was_ that saying about big hands, afterall…

“Ready?” Dave asked and Klaus shook his head like a wet dog, shifting his sight towards the awaiting cowboy.

“Oh, yeah, you bet!” They shared a smile and a quick nod before Dave led him and the other campers out of the barn and towards the mounting blocks near the edge of the arena.

Brian barked a few orders upon their arrival about basic equine safety requirements; being sure to inform them that under Texas law an equine activity sponsor or professional shall ‘not be held liable for any injury to, or death of a participant’ resulting from the inherent risk of an equine activity. Sure, as if Klaus wasn’t already nervous enough. He shot a terrified glance towards Dave who offered him a warm grin in return. God, that smile instantly helped to calm his frayed nerves, if even just a little.

“Dave, you’re in charge of Luther, Ben, Diego and Klaus. I’ll take Vanya, Allison, Five and Lila. When we enter the arena, I want you all to enter single file. Be sure to keep a horse-lengthed distance between each other. No nose-to-tail contact, do you understand?”

Both counselors spent a little one on one time with each of the campers, offering them basic instructions on the proper way to hold their reins to ensure they wouldn’t slide through their grasp, as well as the correct way to sit in the saddle before helping them mount their horses.

“Now remember, picture yourself as a marionette doll. There’s a string running through your spine and holding you upright from the top of your head. Do not let me catch any of y'all slouching, slumping or leaning forward in your seats. This ain't no race and not a single one of y’all is small enough to be a jockey,” Brian paused, tilting his head to gesture towards Five. “Well, except maybe him.”

“Burn!” Klaus blurted sharply, unable to contain his snort at the counsellors comment. Five bore his teeth like a rabid fox, flipping him the bird.

“Back to what I was saying,” Brian interrupted, pulling the focus back onto his instructions. “I need each of you to sit deep in your pockets. Not a single butt better bounce off of any one of those saddles, do I make myself clear?”

“Aye-Aye, oh cappy-tain!” Klaus cheered, holding his palm over his heart. Brian rolled his eyes, leaving to check over his group.

The rattling of spurs approaching caught Klaus’s attention. He turned, his gaze meeting Dave’s just as he patted Bejai’s neck. “Good boy, Beej,” Dave praised, running his fingers through the thick tufts of the horse's mane. “He’ll take good care of you, I promise.” 

Dave checked over Klaus’s form, making sure he was demonstrating proper equitation. He was pleased overall, but there was one thing that immediately caught his eye. He frowned, grasping Klaus’s foot between his hands, pressing gently down on his ankle. “Will you stand up for me real quick?”

“Stand?” Klaus questioned, shrugging at Dave’s confident nod. “Okayyyy.” He trilled, teetering unsteadily and slanting forward as he stood, his hands fumbling to grip the horn of his saddle.

Dave chuckled softly at his wavering form. “Not bad, but try gripping with your thighs and sink all of your weight into your heels.”

“Like this?” Klaus asked, voice hitched with uncertainty.

“Deeper,” Dave explained, gently helping Klaus ease his ankles further down. Klaus forced himself to swallow down the comment that came to mind regarding this instruction. “Perfect. Now, go ahead and sit, but keep those heels down just like that, okay?”

Klaus nodded, allowing himself to slump onto his saddle. “Phew, that’s harder than it sounds.” He said, huffing out exhaustedly.

Dave’s lips tugged into a crooked grin. “Yeah, well, it’ll get easier as you build more core strength.”

Klaus gasped, clutching his imaginary pearls. “David, are you calling me weak?”

“Yes,” Dave stated simply and immediately laughed at the reaction his response elicited. The face Klaus made was enough to make him nearly break his composure - he just looked so offended - but Dave knew he had to hold it together. He cleared his throat, gently tightening his grip on Klaus’s foot. “All jokes aside, this is serious, so I need you to listen to me, okay?”

Klaus nodded, holding up his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, please, carry on.”

“It is extremely important while riding that you keep your heels down. If your horse spooks, bolts, or you manage to get thrown from your saddle you’re far less likely to get caught up in your stirrups,” he informed. “Especially with shoes like these.” Dave tapped the bottom of Klaus’s converse, his eyebrows furrowing. “Everyone was supposed to come with a pair of work boots. These flat soled shoes are incredibly dangerous. So that means you out of everyone here need to exercise extreme caution, okay?”

“Got it.”

“Good,” Dave said with a smile before turning to address all of the campers. “Now, I need everyone to pick up your reins, and direct your horse into the arena, we’re going to go over some basic riding etiquette before we head out on the trails.”

* * *

Klaus was the last to enter the arena from Dave’s team. They entered single file, just as they were instructed, alternating one member from each group. This was a way for Dave and Brian to work together on keeping a watchful eye on each of the campers as they rode. They all paved a path around the perimeter fence line, each horse trudging along at a safe distance and controlled speed. 

“Excellent work everyone, just keep following around the edge of the arena. Now, the fence line is located on your right, can anyone tell me what we call that side in proper riding terminology?” Brian asked, hands planted on his hips as he awaited an answer. Klaus rolled his eyes. _Of course_ none of them knew, but just the way Brian asked felt so condescending. What with his forced smile and false chipper bravado. “No one? Alright, the side of your horse located against the border of the arena is referred to as the outside. Pretty simple, huh? So, if we instruct you to squeeze with your outside leg, or pick up your outside rein, which side is that?”

“The side by the arena!” Ben cheered, appropriately proud of himself for knowing the correct answer.

“Good job, Ben,” Dave commended, offering him a kind smile.

“Alright, now I’m going to toss you all a curveball,” Brian warned, rubbing his palms together. “If the outside is against the arena, what is the side facing me here in the center?”

“Uh… _inside_?” Luther asked sheepishly, immediately ducking his head, embarrassed that he might have the wrong answer.

“Very good!” Brian praised, pointing at Luther. “Someones catching on!”

Klaus swore that he detected a hint of mockery in his tone. “Now,” Brian continued. “I need everyone to pick up your _inside_ rein and gently tug it with your fingers to guide your horse in a circle while keeping a steady pressure with your _outside_ heel against their side. Keep your inside leg steady, and help guide your horse around that leg as if it’s a pole cemented into the ground.”

Everyone did as they were instructed, being mindful (with lots of badgering from Brian, of course) not to turn into anyones projected path while offering each other a wide berth. They continued their training within the safety of the arena, learning more tips, tricks and cues they could apply to their riding; even learning how to pass each other safely by calling out which side they planned on passing from.

“Inside!” Allison called, directing her much faster horse around Klaus’s slow steed.

“Keep those heels down, Klaus,” Dave reminded, riding his own horse up beside him. “We’re about to head out onto the trail. I need you to be as careful as possible, okay? _Heels down_.”

Klaus nodded, once again sinking his weight into his heels before following behind Dave as he took his spot at the head of the group.

“Okay everyone,” he called. “Remember, continue in a single file line behind me. The same rules apply out there: no crowding around each other. I expect everyone to demonstrate safety. Klaus, I need you up front by me. Bejai and my horse are trail buddies, they stick together.”

Well, needless to say, Klaus wouldn’t argue there.

* * *

The trail ride was much more scenic and peaceful than Klaus had anticipated. Their surroundings were beautiful; wide open fields lined with sunflowers, buttercups and white clovers. The trailhead was expansive, plenty wide enough for their horses to fit through with an ample amount of room to spare.The canopies of the towering live oak above were nearly cathedral height, their branches reminiscent of a Dali painting; nearly taking on the appearance of melting as they crossed overhead. 

They rode down a steep hill that led to a stream. The water was cool, a refreshing contrast to the heat of the day as it lapped against the exposed skin of Klaus’s ankles. He learned that when riding downhill he needed to lean as far back as he could in his saddle to keep his balance, while needing to lean forward when going back up. 

Klaus was happy to share this experience with Dave. True to his word, their horses did get along beautifully. Dave’s horse was a gorgeous palomino with a coat as rich as honey. His name was Mike - but Klaus affectionately referred to him as Magic Mike. They talked throughout the majority of the excursion; Dave teaching Klaus the many varieties of plants they spotted along the trail. 

_‘What’s this one?’ Klaus asked, poking his fingertip against a wall of white flowers that crept up a tree trunk like a trellis._

_‘That’s called star jasmine,’ Dave explained. ‘They’re actually native to eastern and southeastern asia, and random fact - they’re not even a true jasmine!’_

_‘Oh, so it’s an impersonator then, cool,’ Klaus said, only halfway listening to Dave’s explanation. Truthfully, he could care less about any of this pointless information, but he did find it super cute that Dave knew all of these useless facts. He thought he was a cowboy, not a botanist._

_Running his fingers over a new vine of greenery, Klaus flicked the ridges of the small toothed leaf. ‘What about this one?’_

_‘Uh, Klaus, don’t touch that one—‘_

_‘Why not?’_

_‘It’s poison ivy!’_

Luckily for him, it was _not_ poison ivy, but instead yet another impersonator - virginia creeper. 

Decidedly over the plants after that little scare, Dave opted to offer Klaus more tips on how to strengthen his riding skills instead. He demonstrated how sitting deeper in his pockets at the jog helped him to not bounce so much. Bejai surely was grateful for this tip, and Klaus’s manhood was as well. Dave was funny, Klaus learned, and had a dry sense of humor that he could appreciate. And apparently, Dave seemed rather fond of Klaus’s humor, too. 

Klaus was nearly caught off guard when Dave apologized for not checking on him that morning. It should have been _him_ , he said, _not_ Brian who deemed him to be okay. Klaus could only smile; it was incredibly sweet of Dave to do that, but it was unnecessary. Honestly, he was just happy to be out of bed. Besides, being there, hanging out with Dave without the lingering swell of pain beneath his ribs was much better than being trapped inside of his cabin. 

The group of campers rode for over an hour and everything was going so smoothly - that is, until it wasn’t.

They were heading back towards the academy and had just traversed through the riverbank and cleared the landing of the gorge when an ear piercing squeal startled them. A wild boar appeared from beneath the dense thicket of nearby bushes. She was clearly enraged; whites of her eyes gleaming in the dimming light of the day, the hackles of her coarse hair standing pointedly at attention. She was a mother sow, protecting her three little piggies. Klaus would almost laugh at the irony of it all, but judging by the face Dave was making he knew this was clearly a very serious situation. Her cloven hoof dug at the ground threateningly, stirring up the dead leaves from the forest floor. She snorted, tossing her head in a show of power before charging forward, a battle cry tearing from her throat. 

Klaus’s horse spooked, nearly plowing through Dave and his horse as he bolted down the trail. Terrified, Klaus panicked and tightened his grip with his legs around the barrel of his horse, only succeeding in egging him to go faster. The thunderous cacophony of hooves pounding against the ground sent shockwaves through Klaus’s body, his heart hammering just as fast.

“Klaus, pull back!” Dave called, galloping his horse as fast as he could behind him in an effort to catch the runaway rider. “Pick up your reins and pull him in a circle!”

Klaus could hear Dave’s frantic calls, he understood what he was being instructed to do, but he couldn’t bring his body to cooperate. He was in shock, all proper equitation forgotten. His limbs clenched as tightly as he could manage around his horse, heels straight up in the air. Bejai continued galloping down the trail before breaking through the treeline and entering into a clearing. This had been Klaus’s favorite field earlier in the day; it’s plentiful wildflowers in full bloom - such a beautiful scenery for Bejai to completely lose his shit. 

He started bucking; long, powerful hind legs kicking out and reaching well above the top of Klaus’s head. He’d rush forward, crow hop into the air before forcing his rear end high above the ground. He did this repeatedly, and Klaus felt like it would never end, his entire world suddenly moving in slow motion.

“Sit back!” Dave shouted desperately. He sounded terrified, easily matching the way Klaus was feeling at that moment.

Before today Klaus had never even seen a horse in person before, let alone ridden one. He could feel his grip slipping as Bejai continued to bronco-buck around the open field. He knew he couldn’t sit this for much longer. Unfortunately, he was correct; two powerful full body bucks later Klaus was dumped over the side of his horse. He was lucky though that despite forgetting to keep his heels down in the heat of the moment, he hadn’t gotten caught up in his stirrups. Klaus let out a pained ‘oof’, the wind knocked from his lungs when his body slammed hard against the ground. After today, Klaus could honestly say that he wasn’t sure that he’d ever want to ride a horse again.

Of course, the moment Klaus was thrown from his back, Bejai immediately calmed. He slammed to a halt, never leaving his rider's side. Klaus coughed and sputtered, trying to force oxygen back into his lungs before lifting his head wearily. He noticed he was left a little dizzy from the altercation before meeting his horse's gaze. “Now? Really? _Now_ you stop?!” he grunted before allowing himself to relax back against the ground, curling into himself and wrapping his arm around his aching chest. Fuck, that was no fun - and now his entire body hurt. He couldn’t help but wonder how people actually _enjoyed_ doing this? Bejai stood calmly by his side, scanning over Klaus’s balled up form as if checking to make sure he was alright before casually lowering his head, his muzzle gently nuzzling against Klaus’s leg as he picked at the clovers nestled around his prone frame.

“Klaus!” Dave called, hastily pulling his horse to an abrupt stop. He quickly dismounted before running to Klaus’s side, sliding on his knees right beside him. Laying his hands gently over Klaus’s body, he quickly assessed him for injuries. “Are you okay? Do you think you broke anything?”

Klaus groaned, easing his body out of it’s protective ball. He panted, weakly rolling onto his back; teary green eyes meeting Dave’s worried blues. “Only my ego,” he gritted through clenched teeth. He tried to sit up, but immediately stopped when the new position caused immense discomfort in his chest. He hissed in pain, wrenching his eyes shut.

“Easy,” Dave urged, helping to lower Klaus back down against the bed of wildflowers beneath him. “You might be hurt.” Klaus nodded, chest heaving as he continued to try and catch his breath. He winced, hand pressing firmly against his battered ribs. Dave followed Klaus’s hands, eyebrows furrowed with concern. “Do they hurt?” he asked, gently prodding over his chest with the length of his fingers, feeling for any obvious fractures. Klaus held his breath, pinching his eyes closed. Seeing the discomfort he was causing him, Dave released the pressure against his ribs, sitting back on his pockets. “Sorry, just try to breathe for me, okay Klaus? I know it hurts. Luckily, I don’t think they’re broken, although the bone’s most likely bruised.”

Klaus sniffled, forcing his eyes open and gazed at the silhouetted figure of Dave above him. The sun was already beginning to set; it’s deep golden rays offering him an ethereal halo. He looked beautiful, Klaus thought, like his own personal guardian angel - if there were such a thing, that is. Dave peered down at Klaus, his emerald eyes sparkling with unshed tears. God, he was bewitching, his eyes casting a spell on his heart. He looked captivating; an array of multicolored wildflowers tucked around him, their petals nearly glowing in the rays of the fading day. Dave leaned closer, cupping Klaus’s cheek within the palm of his hand. It fit perfectly, he noticed, as he ran his thumb gently over the prominent cheekbone. “Are you okay?”

“I am now,” he said when their eyes met, the corner of Klaus’s wobbling lips twitching into the faintest grin as he pressed his face deeper into Dave’s gentle touch. His hands may have been calloused, but with the way he cradled them against his skin they may as well have been the finest wool in the world. Klaus wrapped his slender fingers around Dave’s wrist, feeling his pulse pumping steadily beneath his fingertips, gazing deeply into those bright blue eyes. He could feel something under his skin, like electricity coursing through his veins. This was the best high of his life; better than anything any drug had ever offered him. Despite the pounding within his chest, Klaus had never felt more at peace than in that very moment. He smiled at Dave, absorbing the blissful ambiance surrounding them. 

Dave felt himself leaning closer, the gravitational pull of the moment pulling him in. The fluttering sensation of butterflies filled his belly as their faces inched closer, and closer, and closer. He could feel Klaus’s hurried wisps of breath grazing across his lips - when the sound of rapid hoofbeats broke through the overwhelming silence surrounding them. He quickly pulled away, clearing his throat just as his uncle and the other campers entered the clearing. 

“Dave,” Brian greeted, dismounting his horse before he approached the pair, gesturing his gloved hand towards Klaus. “He alright?”

“M’fine,” Klaus assured, slowly and agonizingly sitting up, just thankful for Dave’s assistance.

“Good,” Brian said with a curt nod. “Welp, hop back on, then.”

“Wait a tick, wait a tick - back on?” Klaus gawked, jaw dropped. “I was nearly just killed!”

“Well, you weren’t, were ya?” Brian offered, rolling his eyes. He tapped the face of his watch, glancing at the sky before heaving himself back into his saddle. “Times a wastin. Get him back up, Dave. We’ll meet you two back at the academy. Hurry up, now, ‘fore y’all run out of daylight.” He whistled, gathering the other campers attention, waving his hand in the air beckoning them to follow.

“He’s joking, right?” Klaus asked, leaning forward. He winced, sucking in a sharp breath, grasping his ribs.

Dave cocked him a crooked grin, offering him his hand and slowly helped ease him back onto his feet. He teetered briefly, posture hunched as he attempted to relieve the pressure on his aching chest. “Sorry, I’m afraid not.”

“What?!” 

“Once you fall off you always gotta get back on. Riders code, otherwise it teaches your horse they can get away with ditching you.”

“Ughhh...but I’m in pain!” Klaus wailed, physically deflating at just the idea of getting back on.

Dave exhaled a soft chuckle, gently rubbing his palm over Klaus’s shoulder. “You think it’s bad now, just wait until tomorrow.”

“Wait, what happens tomorrow?” Klaus asked, stumbling beside Dave as he ushered him towards Bejai.

Dave picked up his reins, tossing them over his neck. “You’ll see,” he assured, smiling knowingly. “Now, come on, I’ll give you a leg up.”

“What’s a leg up?”

“Just, put your knee in my hands, and on the count of three I’ll push you up, okay? Swing your leg over the same as ya did back at the mounting block.” Dave explained, readying himself to assist Klaus on.

“Oh, well, I guess that sounds simple enough,” Klaus approached Bejai’s side, hands white knuckle gripping his saddle at the horn and cantle.

“Ready?” Dave asked. Klaus blew out an uneasy breath, nodding his head. “On the count of three then, okay? One...two...three,” being as gentle as he could, Dave slowly eased Klaus onto Bejai’s back. He hissed in pain, clutching his sore ribs. Dave rubbed his back soothingly in an effort to comfort him. “Good job, and just like that you’re back in the saddle.”

“Oh goodie,” Klaus said without a trace of joy in his tone, accepting the reins into his trembling hands. 

Dave quickly mounted his own horse, pulling him around in a circle before approaching Klaus’s side. He could see the apprehension clear as day on Klaus’s features. He extended his hand, laying it encouragingly atop Klaus’s hand on the saddle's horn, offering him a warm smile. “Hey,” he spoke softly. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. I’ll be right here beside you the entire time. We’re nearly there, and Klaus - it’s just you and me this time. You’re going to be safe, I promise. I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”

“Just you and me?” Klaus nearly whispered. He knew it was stupid, but something about hearing Dave say that statement out loud made his chest swell with something unidentifiable. 

Dave smiled, nodding his head. “Just you and me.”

“You’ll keep me safe?”

“I promise, nothing will hurt you. Not on my watch.” Dave assured.

“Oh, but Davey,” Klaus said, featuring a cheeky grin. “You aren’t wearing a watch.”

Dave couldn’t hide the smile that spanned his features at that comment. He rolled his eyes affectionately, just glad to see that Klaus was feeling more himself already. “Ha ha, you know what I mean.” He felt warmth flood his cheeks at the sound of Klaus’s chortling.

The pair started to weave their way back towards the academy, staying at a slow and steady pace. Dave kept his horse shoulder to shoulder with Klaus’s to ensure he was always just within arms reach. He knew he could trust them, riding this close together. Dave couldn’t tell anymore who this was benefitting more; him or Klaus. All he knew was that it did his heart good having him so near. Klaus could feel his own heart fluttering; whether from his nerves, or the lingering adrenaline still pumping through his veins finally starting to wear off, he wasn’t sure. But the one thing Klaus _was_ certain of in that moment, was that he was glad to have met Dave. 

He pulled in a deep breath, blowing it out as he closed his eyes before doing the unthinkable. Finding a courage deep within himself that Klaus didn’t even know he possessed, he reached across the small divide. Arm trembling with trepidation, he spliced his fingers between Daves, squeezing them tight. Dave startled slightly at the unexpected touch, eyes widening as he glanced at Klaus’s hand entwined within his own. His heartbeat began to race before he tightened his grip around Klaus’s fingers. He chanced a glance towards the other man, who looked at him with the faintest of smiles. Dave returned the toothy grin before tilting his face up toward the sky. Feeling the cool evening breeze against his flushed skin, and relishing in the sensation of Klaus's hand tucked within his own, he sighed and let himself be content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ouch! As someone who has fallen off a horse plenty of times, I can assure you, it’s not fun! Poor Klaus! But at least Dave was there to help him feel better ;)
> 
> I hope you all liked this little treat!!!
> 
> Thank you to everyone who is following along to this story! I appreciate every comment, kudo, bookmark and subscription thus far!! You all are the best!!
> 
> Take care!!! <3

**Author's Note:**

> Huge shout out and major thanks to my beta: hero_complex_girl 
> 
> Thank you so much for all of your help on this!! I appreciate you!!


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